


Aliens and Where to Find Them

by CheshiresRedEye



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Altea (Voltron), Alternate Universe - Aliens, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, BAMF Lance (Voltron), Bisexual Lance (Voltron), F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Galaxy Garrison, Galra Empire, Galra Keith (Voltron), Gay Disaster Keith (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Keith gets to have both parents, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, No Voltron Lions, One-Sided Allura/Lotor (Voltron), POV Alternating, Pansexual Allura (Voltron), Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), There is cursing, guess what kiddo's, kind of, pining romelle, so heads up, some canon divergence, some graphic description of violence, they have like a flirty thing but it's not going anywhere hon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-29
Updated: 2019-08-23
Packaged: 2019-10-11 14:23:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17448677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CheshiresRedEye/pseuds/CheshiresRedEye
Summary: “I can’t believe this! It’s a ship!” Lance puts down the binoculars looking up at the sky with wonderment mixed with worry in his eyes, “It’s not one of ours.”“Wait! What are you saying?” Hunk says in a panic.Pidge practically jumps up and down in joy, “Are you saying it’s alien!”Lance only stood in shock as his eyes never left the ship falling to Earth. My head feels like it’s spinning, I don’t know how to feel about all this. Aliens, an alien craft is failing to Earth here and now.- - - -Everything was fine to Keith! Midterms were on the horizon, his rivalry with his crush was going strong, and his roommate sometimes drove him up the wall. Although when a alien ship crashes down on Earth while him and his friends were out in the desert, changes everything. Now he's purple, the government is chasing them down, some weird elf aliens are harassing them, and a huge one eyed half robot alien is out to take over the planet.You know, typical college life.





	1. Stargazing

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! So this is my first fanfic on here and of Voltron. I haven't written in a long time so sorry if I'm a bit rusty and if the chars are a bit to ooc.  
> Just being clear this isn't a fix it fic but just an AU that I have been wanting to write for a while. We have to survive somehow in this post S8 world.  
> I hope you enjoy reading it! I'm really excited for this fic!

Morning classes in college was an idea created by someone who is pure evil. I am sure of it. 

Looking at my groggy expression in the mirror, brushing my teeth, my long black hair sticking up in different directions. I groan and run my fingers through my hair to make it somewhat manageable. I actually don’t dislike mornings but when you have woken yourself up after spending hours into the night working on equations and papers then barely get any slept.

My phone goes off, I look down to see a text message. A smile makes its way on my face as I text Pidge back, the sentence making my grumpy morning.

**Pidge: stargazing tonight?**

**Keith: Hell yeah!**

**Pidge: rad!!!!**

**Pidge: want to invite Lance and Hunk?**

**Keith: Yeah, I’ll ask Lance when I see him in class.**

**Pidge: ooooooo you’ll ask lance ;3**

I roll my eyes and ignore them, a blush trying to fight its way up to my face. A flutter in my chest spirals at the thought. It would be nice to hang out with Lance and Hunk. Being with friends would be relaxing with the looming threat of midterms on their way.

I chew on my toothbrush being deep in thought. Suddenly I feel something sharp poking my lip, I look up to see two sharp fangs. I growl in annoyance and dig for the file. They are growing faster. I notice my toothbrush looks like someone hacked it with a knife, they were really sharp this time around. I file down the two sharp teeth and finish getting ready.

Fumbling out into the living space to my dorm to see James still fast asleep, lucky him, he doesn’t have a class until the afternoon. Grabbing my jacket pulling it over my head, my sun glasses and bag while moving towards the door. Taking one last look at my roommate and search the room for anything else I need before I leave. My eyes scan the mini fridge and feel my stomach twist. I’m sure mom will forgive me if I skip one. I close the door locking it.

* * *

I adjust the strap on my shoulder as I walk into the lecture hall, I scan the faces of tired students as I pass. My focus on finding one in particular, finally I spot him in the front of the class with his head down. His fluffy short brown hair sticking out of a blue hoodie and shoulders slumped against the wood of the table. I pick up my pace and drop my backpack gently on the ground as I take the seat next to him.

The blue hoodie turns to show a pair of blue eyes a little too bright for the early morning class, a sly smirk creeping up on his lips. I stare down that mischievous expression as he pulls out one of his ear buds. His eyes scan down my body and I try to ignore the beating in my chest. Trying to act relaxed and calm, but I didn’t have to for long because he opens his big mouth.

“You look like shit,” Lance says with a growing smirk, “Finally cracking under the pressure Mullet?”

I scowl at him for a moment before I lean down and give him a smirk snapping back, “Are those dark circles under your eyes? Or is your skin care routine not as solid as you say.”

Lance sits up in blue fury and glares at me but eventually breaks into a laugh, “Jerk.” He shakes his head slowly and turns away to grab something from his bag. My gaze looks towards my hands as I fiddle with my gloves.

Come on just ask him! It isn’t hard to ask the dude to hang out with you.

“Hey Lance-“ I start to make out until he turns his head towards me still bent over digging in his bag. Those big blue eyes staring up at me, so open and unguarded. The words suddenly being shoved into the back of my throat. “D-do you and Hunk want to come stargazing with Pidge and I?”

Lance sits up and places his textbook down our shared table with a slightly raised eyebrow. “So.... are you looking for little green men again?” He tries to restrain that growing smile as I can feel my blood start to boil.

“Why does that matter,” I start to argue.

“Because it's dumb, aliens don’t exist. Why waste time trying to find something that’s not there!”

I scoff, “They do exist and if you didn’t want to come you could have just said so!”

Lance gracefully leans his hand against his cheek and rolls his eyes. Soon that playfully gaze is on to me, “I never said I didn’t want to come.”

I open my mouth to argue with him until I let his words sink in, suddenly feeling a burn in my cheeks. I snap my jaw shut and glare at him, he has the nerve to chuckle.

“Alright class,” the professor says, “Please turn to page 476 of your textbooks and follow along.”

I send Lance one last look before I grab my laptop. He smiles backs at me and winks then turns his attention back to the professor. I just hope he couldn’t hear the beating in my chest.

* * *

“If you don’t make a move on that boy during stargazing I’m officially calling you a coward,” Pidge states factually. They lean back on their chair, ignoring all the other student’s that pass by the lounge. Pidge thought it would be a great idea to meet up in the dorm lounge. I mess with the arms of my sunglasses as a nervous tic, the bright florescent lights not helping my headache. Sometimes having light-sensitive eyes sucks, why can’t everything be dim.

I shoot them a glare with a slight scowl to my lips. Pidge having no shame of bringing stuff up in public to get under my skin. “There is nothing going on between Lance and I.” Which is a lie, well in the case of my feelings towards the Cuban boy.

Pidge just gives me a look not believing me. They put two and two together long ago when my supposed academic rival stood up for me when James talked smack about me freshman year. I have never seen him with so much exasperation at anyone who wasn’t me. He stated, ‘No one looks down his rival’, which made me realized Lance actually does not hate me. I wanted to get closer to my ‘rival’ and I grew attached to the energetic and charming man.

Or as Pidge states…. A crush. A crush I would never admit out loud. I didn’t like talking about my feelings about our friend, it felt strange talking about someone we both know. Someone we both care deeply about. Deep down I know Pidge wouldn’t judge and let me gush about how Lance just makes me feel like I’m melting into a puddle of warmth. Although they say it was obvious enough for even them to notice. Which makes me reserved towards my affection, if Pidge could tell so could Lance.

“I’m calling it here and now,” Pidge says triumphantly as they move their legs under them, “Keith Kogane a coward? Maybe so! Depending on making a move on our sweet charming Lancey Lance.”

I groan, and I throw my head back on the couch, “I am not a coward!”

A familiar face pops up in my view with the biggest grin making me filled with dread. “What for?” Hunk asks innocently.

Pidge lights up, “Dealing with his big ol crus-“ They don’t get to finish as I kick the chair in a knee-jerk reaction and cause it to flip over.

Hunk yells and rushes over to help Pidge, granted I feel bad but the only thing I can process is the white noise as my anger burns through me. I watch as Hunk easily flips the chair back with Pidge grabbing on the arms with a white-knuckled grip and a shocked expression.

“Keith! What the hell!” Pidge yells and I just send them the best death glare I can with my shaded eyes. I shrug as my response which only annoys Pidge more.

Hunk being the angel he is tries to defuse the tension by changing the subject. “I’m really excited for stargazing tonight!” Hunk plops himself right next to me on the couch.

Pidge lights up, “Me too! They say there might be a meteor shower tonight! I would love to study that.”

“It will be so pretty! Lance has been texting me non-stop about it.”

“Really?” Pidge asks with a sly tone in their voice and I just send them a look.

Hunk nods and continues to talk to Pidge, my own thoughts drowning them out. The throbbing in my temples makes everything seem brighter and painful. Even thinking hurt. What hurt the most was the throbbing behind my eyes, they almost seemed to burn.

I look over at Hunk and feel fear course through me. He looked unnaturally bright, almost glowing, the oranges and yellows fusing together. I could see heat signatures shifting with his movement along his skin on parts of his body. I take a deep breath trying my best not to freak out. Looking down at my hand and see my nails are a bit longer than they originally were this morning, becoming sharper. The white noise in my head feels like it's clouding everything around me, my breathing becoming shallow. The constant pain in my head crushing me. I wish it would stop or just crush my brain as whole to finish the job.

“ _ K-ith? _ ” I can hear a muffled voice call out to me, but I block it out. The pain making my head feel heavy. My eyes feeling like someone set them ablaze.

“Keith!”

My head shoots up when someone yells me name snapping me out of it. I look around to see Hunk and Pidge leaning towards me with worry clouding in their eyes.

“You okay buddy?” Hunk says softly as he was talking to a spooked animal. “You look like you were about to have a panic attack and just zoned out there for a second.”

“It was freaky, it was like you were having an outer body experience for a second.” Pidge points out and gets a glare from Hunk. They just shrug.

I avoid looking at them, I can’t handle seeing them so bright and in infrared. It makes me uneasy.

“Um,” I fiddle with the hem of my fingerless gloves, “Yeah, I forgot to take my meds today and my headache right now isn’t helping.”

Hunk jumped into mama bear mood in an instant and was on me within seconds. “Keith! Are you sure you’re okay? Do you need something to eat? We have time before Lance gets out of his evening class, you can go get your medicine and rest.”

“Have you eaten at all today?” Pidge asks, and I shrug and shake my head no. “Damn, I’m doing better than you.”

Hunk pulls out his phone and starts texting someone, he looks flabbergasted as he types. “I’m texting Lance.”

“Why!” I yell.

Hunk looks up from his phone with a raised eyebrow, “It’s a code yellow, duh.” Pidge looks at me for answers but for the three years I’ve known Hunk and Lance I could not understand their weird code for the life of me.

“So?” I dreadfully ask.

“So!” Hunk states with such passion I have only seen in the kitchen and in the workshop, “No friend of mine is going to starve themselves if I have anything to say about it!”

Texting Lance back and states to the group, “I need him to go to the store,  _ so _ I can make a packed dinner because I am feeding you.”

I try not to smile at the intense look on Hunk’s face as he texts Lance. I feel a small tap on my shoulder and see Pidge leaning over the chair to get closer. They smile at me as they whisper, “Go upstairs and get some rest. We’ll come get you when we’re going to head out.”

“Pidge, you guys don’t have to make a huge deal out of this. I get headaches all the time-“

Pidge holds up their hand and makes a hand talking motion, “Yip yak Keith.” They give me a small genuine smile, “Just let us be bro. Okay?”

“Fine,” I slump into the cushions in defeat. I take a moment of comfort before I drag myself up and grab my bag. I send my friends a small heartfelt wave goodbye as I leave the lounge.

“Do you prefer chicken or beef tacos?” I catch Hunk mumble to Pidge as I close the door.

I drag my feet up the stairwell feeling like a decaffeinated zombie, the lights hurting my burning eyes. Restraining the deep urge to hiss at the fluorescent bulbs.

I dig around for my dorm key in my pockets and unlock my door. The first thing to greet me when I walk through the door is James doing yoga sketches in tight pants and a strange patterned t-shirt. I glare at him from the doorway dropping my bag by the wall making a huge thud.

“Oh! Hi Keith, what are you doing here at this hour?” James asks. Bending his torso at a 40-degree angle.

I close the door and walk towards the mini fridge, “I should be asking you that.”

James tries to hide the fact he’s rolling his eyes, but he isn’t very good at it. “Ryan is filming his new movie assignment today and asked for my help, so I’m doing my exercise now.”

I open the fridge and grab my silver and red thermos as well as my bottle of medicine. I try not to slam the door close feeling a bit annoyed by James. “We have a gym on campus,” I groan my frustrations to him. I open the cap to my medicine and pour the deep purple liquid to the right amount to slam it down. The gross metallic and tangy fruit taste makes the back of my throat dry. Rushing to open the thermos for the sweet release of mixed berry and honey smoothie.

James stretches as he changes yoga poses, “I don’t like the gym here. You usually hang out with your friends why are you back here?”

I pop two painkillers in my mouth and wash it down with my smoothie, “I don’t feel good, so I’m taking a nap.”

“Ah,” James mumbles.

I turn to glare at my roommate as I make my way to my bed, trying to avoid being hit by his long limbs. I flop down belly first on my comforter burying my face in my pillow. “Will you be finished soon?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m just finishing up now.”

I just give him a confirming noise as I move to take off my sunglasses and wrap myself in the blanket. Letting myself drift asleep. Thinking about the stars and memories from home.

* * *

Knocking woke me up, I try to blink out my fogginess. The pounding on the door echoes throughout my dorm. I sit up and glare at my door, trying to wake up. I notice James is long gone and the sun is starting to set outside.

“Keith!” I hear Lance yell outside my door, “It’s time to wake up samurai!”

“Keith! Keith! Keith!” Pidge and Hunk start chanting in a tune.

I groan and drag my feet towards the door. “I’m coming!” I shout back.

The knocking seems to shift to becoming at rapid tapping, I slam open the door to see Lance in mid tap with a huge smile on his face.

I try to muster up my worse glare not thrilled on waking up like this. Although I am not surprised since my friends have a habit of doing this when they come over. Lance’s smile just brightens at my sour mood. Pidge and Hunk squeeze past Lance and I to make it inside, Hunk holding a picnic basket and Pidge a backpack of tech. Lance leads against the door frame with as much grace as that lanky body can give him.

“Are you going to let me in?” Lance teases.

“What are you a vampire?” I mumble in my still semi tried state. I step aside to let him in, and he just laughs softly to himself. Slamming the door the moment he steps foot in the room for him to make a beeline for my bed. Lance sits down on the soft comforter the bed sinking under his weight. I sit down beside him to watch Pidge and Hunk dig through my file cabinet of a pantry and shoving some of my snacks into the basket.

“How are you feeling?”

“Huh?” I turn to Lance a bit taken back by the sudden question.

“Hunk and Pidge told me you weren’t feeling so well earlier.”

“Oh,” I shrug, “Yeah, I feel better now.”

He slings his arm around my shoulders, “Good! Almost got me worried.”

“Oh, you care for once?” I couldn’t help the teasing smile.

Lance’s jaw drops and places a hand over his heart. “I am hurt Keith,” Lance says in an over dramatic voice.

“Oh! Woe is you,” I continue to tease.

Lance moves his arm away and drapes himself over my lap. He throws an arm over his eyes and clutches his sweater, “You wound my soul.”

“ _ Lance! _ ” I laugh out his name, amused at his theatrics. I catch an eye peeking out under his arm with a blinding smile shining through.

“Lance, what are you doing,” Hunk watching his roommate act like the drama queen he is.

Lance drops his arm away from his face and gives his best friend a look of mock betrayal. “Keith here is being a jerk, so I had to show him how much his words hurt me!” His hands moving animatedly as he talks.

Pidge pops up behind Hunk, “Well if you two idiots are finishing up proclaiming your feelings, I would like to get going! I want to get into Keith’s snacks!”

Lance sputters at Pidge and rolls off my lap with ease. He points a finger at the youngest of us, “You better not be planning to eat in Blue! You know the rule!”

Pidge groans, “Lance! No one cares about your stupid car rules but you.”

He huffs and places his hands on his hips. “Well you should! I’m the one who drives everyone everywhere!”

“Keith has his own ride,” Pidge mumbles under their breath.

“Your rules are fair,” Hunk says backing up his bestie.

Lance beams, “Thanks bro.” Hunk smiles and gives a thumbs up.

“They are my snacks,” I call out.

Lance points to me, “See! I don’t want Keith terrible choice in snacks all over my cloth seats!”

I burn holes in the back of Lance’s head as I catch Pidge trying hard not to laugh.

* * *

Lance parks his old blue car on top of a small plateau overlooking a small valley. The canyon was always the best place to watch the stars, no city obscuring the hundreds of stars. Pidge and Hunk rush out of the car with a bundle of energy hurrying to set up their telescope in the front of the car. Lance just shakes his head laughing at the two, he turns towards me with a bright smile, “I wonder what has those two in a rush?”

I just shrug, but I can see Pidge’s smug grin behind the glass. That little gremlin. We get out the car and watch Pidge and Hunk chat excitedly about the meteor shower happening tonight. I suddenly feel a light nudge on my arm, Lance bumping his elbow against mine. I jump a little at the action turning to glare at him. He nods his head towards the trunk and walks off.

I take a fleeting glance at Pidge and Hunk, those two not even noticing us. I trot after Lance who is sitting on top of his trunk with his back against the glass. He smiles when he sees me, patting the metal next to him gesturing to sit there. It being adorable.

I roll my eyes and hoist myself up on the car laying back in the same place as Lance. The cold metal and glass of his car seeps into the back of my jacket but I don’t care.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath of the desert air, reminding me of home. I open them to see the clear night sky. Seeing the stars being so bright that it takes up the ink black sky always making me feel small. As if there was something past that curtain of starlight waiting for me to find it. Lance’s arm presses against mine, taking everything in my power not to tense up. I can see him in my peripheral just smiling up at the stars.

“God, remember the last time we came here?” Lance turns his head to look at me with an open expression, “You tried to jump a trench with your motorcycle. I swear I thought we were going to die.”

I playfully nudge him, “Hey! We survived didn’t we.”

Lance gives me an unimpressed look, “Barely.”

“How about that time you convinced us to sneak out and you drove like a madman almost destroying that road sign.”

“Hey! My driving skills are amazing!”

“Sure Lance, whatever you say.” Lance lightly taps my arm as a pout graces his face. I couldn’t help the creeping smile forming on my face, soon Lance broke into a smile as well.

“You ass,” He mumbles.

I shrug only giving him a small smile. He presses closer to me and lays his head against my shoulder, bending one of his legs towards himself. I freeze at the movement and look straight ahead into the valley, not knowing what to do. My whole body heating up as Lance’s hair tickles my jaw. I slowly look down at the other boy who ignores me to look up at the stars. The silence seems to ground me, making this moment feel real.

Lance has always been an affectionate person, growing up in a big family. Sometimes his genuine affection throws me for a loop, my parents showing their affection through other ways. Sure, my parents will give me a loving pat or hug occasionally, but they aren't the biggest fan of cuddles. I lean into his touch returning my affection back, he lets a soft hum.

“Aren’t they beautiful?” Lance mutters. I just quietly say yes under my breath and his smile grows. “I can’t wait to touch the sky and grasp them,” He looks up at me with his signature smirk, “Just don’t try to knock me down, Mullet.”

I try to keep the heat in my face under control. I lightly knock my knuckles against his leg trying hard not to smile, “You’ll have to catch up first.”

Lance lets out a little laugh and nuzzled his face closer to my neck. Lance whispers something to me after a few moments of silence. “What’s your dream Keith?”

I feel a bit taken aback by the small personal question, but I just hum thinking about my answer. I look up at the stars and think. “I used to feel so alone growing up, for a long time I wished to find someone like me. Someone I could relate to, to know I wasn’t alone. Travel the universe and discover something amazing,” I sigh with a smile, “But I’m content now.”

“Why is that?” Lance’s voice is small and shy.

I turn to him and see his big blue eyes shining in the moonlight, his expression so enraptured with what I have to say. I smile, “Because I don’t feel so alone anymore. I have you.”

Lance’s eyes widen in surprise, and it slowly sinks in what I said. A flustered blush bursts on my cheeks as I try to salvage what I said. “I-I mean! You, Pidge and Hunk all mean a lot to me-“

“Keith,” Lance says interrupting me.

“Yeah?” I whisper.

Lance gives me a soft look and leans towards me, our faces inches apart. “I’m glad I have you too,” He whispers back. My blush darkens as I slowly lean in towards him.

Static interrupts the silence as Lance’s radio comes to life. Songs filter through different stations as singing cuts together in an unsettling pattern. I can hear Pidge and Hunk fuss over how their tech isn’t working.

Lance breaks away from me to look over towards them concerned, “What’s happening?”

I feel like my heart has travel up to my throat. I can’t believe all this is happening.

“Something is messing with the frequency, it’s almost like-“ Pidge stops and looks closer at their phone and tech set up all around them. Their eyes scanning at the patterns as the radio static increases. “It’s like it’s,” They say amazed, “Talking, chatter almost.”

“What is going on,” Hunk mumbles to himself. His eyes drift up then going wide. He grabs Pidge’s arm making them look up to where he is pointing at something up in the sky behind me.

Pidge and Hunk suddenly gasp and start yelling. I am about to turn my head to ask what’s up until I see a bright red light burn into the sky as the reflection shines all around us. Something just broke through the atmosphere.

“Is that a meteor?” Hunk shouts, “A very big one!”

Lance hops off the trunk and scurries over to practically swing open the car door to reach for his bag in the backseat. He pulls out a set of binoculars examining the bright light. “Holy Crap!” Lance yells, “I can’t believe this! It’s a ship!” Lance puts down the binoculars looking up at the sky with a look of wonderment mixed with worry, “It’s not one of ours.”

“Wait! What are you saying?” Hunk says in a panic.

Pidge practically jumps up and down in joy, “Are you saying it’s alien!”

Lance only stood in shock as his eyes never left the ship falling to Earth. My head feels like it’s spinning, I don’t know how to feel about all this. Aliens, an alien craft is failing to earth here and now.

Neon purple light shines against Lance’s face and I turn to finally look at the craft falling through the air. My eyes widen as I watch flaming purple fire fly across the sky moving closer towards us. The ball of fire becomes more identifiable as it soars closer moving to dive into the canyon, it’s a spacecraft. A dark gray craft with dark purple neon lines running along the outside, the front of the craft almost looks like a horseshoe hammer as it thins out in the middle until there is spike like wings jetting out the back. The spacecraft is the size of a plane and falling at an alarming rate. We couldn’t do anything except watch the craft crash into the desert. The impact causes the ground to shake, cracking the rock slightly around us. We stay speechless as smoke and sand dust covers everywhere in the canyon below. The fire is starting to die down, but the wreckage scattered throughout the sand.

This is happening, a ship from space just crash-landed in front of us. Something foreign and alien. My chest feels numb but a small part of me feels excited. I can almost feel a pull towards the craft, some part of it calling out to me.

Pidge and Hunk hurry to the back of the car next to us to look at the wreckage. Hunk is on the verge of a panic attack and Lance is just staring at the ship with no emotion I can pick up on. Pidge looks shocked but starting to smile. “Come on!” They shout out. Pidge grabs their bag and begins to climb down the plateau making Hunk have a heart attack.

“Pidge! Wait up!” Lance finally snaps out of it as I watch that fluffy brown hair disappears. Lance follows Pidge off the cliff. Hunk and I watch the two slides down leaving a trail of dust behind.

“Lance! Pidge!” Hunk yells until he mumbles under his breath, “Oh, we are so dead.”

I pat his shoulder, “Come on big guy. We have some aliens to find.”


	2. Probe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the gang witnesses an alien ship crash, they decide to explore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I am back!
> 
> A bit of head's up, the chapters will be alternating povs. So some chapters will have more than one perspective. This one is Lance's. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this new chapter, I don't have a beta so please bear with me if you find any grammar mistakes.

Honestly, I think the world might be ending a little bit.         

 

First off, a huge foreign craft crashed right in front of us. This is utterly insane, just charging into the fray. Second, I am covered in dirt. Pidge’s curiosity is the main driving force to this whole situation. Not listening to anyone as they just run blindly towards the wreckage which has me tumbling after them through the sand and smoke. Third, this damn ship ruined my moment. Finally, after a year of flirting and moving around each other Keith shot me in the heart with the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me. It was perfect until E.T. decided to show itself. 

My heart flutters thinking about Keith’s words back on the cliff. How genuine he was about how he cares. Trying to push down a blush at the thought that I almost kissed him for that alone, being a hopeless romance sucks sometimes. Although the feeling gets cut short when the dark metal looms over us and purple neon lights start flickering.

“Pidge!” I call out to my friend who is trying to climb the structure. “Slow down!”

Pidge turns towards me with a huge smile but annoyance shining in their eyes, “Lance this is alien technology I am not slowing down!”

“You’ll hurt yourself,“ I try to reason.

“I’ll be fine,” Pidge rolls their eyes and tries to move a piece of sharp metal to get into the wreckage.

I place my hands on my hips and stare them down while Hunk and Keith finally catch up to us. Hunk trying to catch his breath and Keith never taking his eyes off the ship. A puzzle trying to connect the pieces forming behind those violet eyes.  

“P-pidge,” Hunk puffs out, “We don’t know what is in there!” Hunk holds his clenching fists closer to his chest, a tell when he gets anxious. “What if they’re aliens! Big scary ones that do not come in peace! Oh! I do not want to get probed.”

“Hunk relax,” Pidge tries to reason. “If they’re space aliens we’ll be fine,” they rummage through their backpack pulling out a black electronic device, “I have this after all.” Suddenly the device releases an electrically zap making a crackling noise. Oh god, Pidge has a taser. 

“Pidge! When did you get that!” I shout.

They shrug, “I’ve always had it, never leave home without it.”

I try to school my expression knowing my bafflement is quite clear. My attention on them doesn’t last long as I notice movement out of the corner of my eye; I turn to see Keith has taken a few steps back like he’s about to bolt. I prepare myself to ask what he’s doing when he sprints at full speed towards the rummage. His foot landing on the metal, using the momentum to push himself up to the metal slate. He just parkours his way up the ship.

He makes it up about four feet off the ground when it seems he has an opening. He grabs onto a door that is on the side of the ship. As if sensing someone the door slides into itself opening it. Keith moves his hand away just in time before it could get caught, throwing himself into the dark of the doorway.

I can feel my jaw drop, I admit that was hot but so impulsively stupid.

“Keith!” Hunk yells in a frightening shriek.

Keith appears in the doorway with a smirk, “Need some help?”

Pidge loses their mind and excitedly tries to parkour themselves up to the ship as well, but only falls on their butt when they lose the momentum. Keith tries not to laugh although I catch the small smile forcing its way onto his face. 

Hunk comes behind me silently mumbling how this is a terrible idea, which I agree but someone has to look after those impulsive hot heads before they get into trouble. They have to have someone back them up if things go south.

I catch Keith glance up at me with a proud look in his eye that sends butterflies up my chest. I can barely stop myself from the first thing that spills out of my mouth. “You dummy! How are you going to get us up there?”

Keith’s proud expression drops instantly and gives me a flat look, obviously annoyed. It takes a moment before he looks around and down at the three of us to realize he couldn’t get us up there along with him. I groan and look at Hunk who is trying his best to hide his freak out. I put a comforting hand on his shoulder snapping him back to the present.

“Hunk,” I give him the best calming smile I can muster, “I need you to help me try to get up to the door.”

“Are you thinking about entering! Lance, you don’t even believe in any of this in the first place!”

I shrug and open my mouth to try and convivence Hunk until Pidge snorts behind me.

“Please if Lance can believe in a fake thing like mermaids then he can believe in actual aliens that just crash-landed.”

I snap around to fuss at Pidge how mermaids are real and this whole alien thing can be anything until proven otherwise. Although seeing them holding a piece of rope throws me off.

“Where did you get that?” I ask skeptically.

Pidge shrugs, “My bag, you honestly think I didn’t pack to be prepared.”

I try my hardest to send them my nastiest glare as they toss the rope to Keith.

“You were saying, Lance?” I shoot my glare to Keith in return for his smug tone. His smirk sending the flutters to return, but I quickly push it down to scoff at him as he throws down the rope to help us up.

 

* * *

 

Nothing feels right about this ship.

The long dark hallways twist the shadows to make it seem never-ending. The neon purple stripes along with the wall flicker cutting out our source of light for a time. Occasionally there is an echo ringing through the hall as if lifeforms scurry to stable the very being of this ship. The hair on the back of my neck stands at the thought. We are not alone.

Keith calmly leads us through the halls his gaze scanning the alien hieroglyphs that mark the entryways. He would tense up while looking at certain objects which have me more concerned the father we trek. 

Pidge looks like they are about to burst in joy, wonder, and awe all over their expression as they look around the crashed ship. Hunk hovers over them and jumps at the slightest sound, while I stay behind and cover the back end of our group. I don’t trust this place in the slightest. 

“Hey, check this out,” Pidge announces as they bend over to pick up a triangular metal bot. The glass lines along its sides indicate it is off or shut down as it is not glowing like the other lines surrounding us. Pidge inspects it while turning it around in their hands, noticing a circular ‘eye’ on one of the sides. They smile ear to ear at it, “This little guy is adorable.”

Pidge holds the bot under their arm as they try to set up their portable computer. Hunk leans down to take a closer look at the bot, making comments about it’s supposed mechanics and structure. I start to zone out as something catches my attention in my peripheral, turning around to catch a shadow at the end of the hallway. Faint voices in an unfamiliar language carry. I narrow my eyes towards the voices my uneasiness coming back at full force. I’m about to alert the others until I hear Keith’s voice quietly call out.

“Guys I think I found something?”

Keith is standing in front of what looks like metal double doors, ones very similar to the doors we entered the ship from the only difference these doors have a hand scan by the side of it. 

Pidge and Hunk draw their attention away from the bot which I catch Pidge calling it Rover. Adjusting their glasses Pidge takes a close look at the panel while spouting out ideas on how to hack into it. My mind never really processing that kind of stuff I turn to look at Keith to give me validation on rolling eyes around nerdy speech, but he stares at his hand with his brows furrowed. The look in his eyes makes me relax slightly, he looks so determined that his palm holds all the answers. Keith looks at the door for a moment before he puts his hand on the panel. The panel glows a light purple the moment his skin makes contact, swinging the automatic door open.

“How did you do that?” Pidge asks him. Their eyes seem to shine with a new light.

Keith nonchalantly shrugs, “I just put my hand on the panel.”

Pidge makes a conformational hum as if saying ‘fair enough’. 

The room is about as impressive as seeing an alien interior would be except it I have a feeling someone came through and trashed the place. A few hanging wires from the exposed ceiling panels, likely due to the crash. A panel with thin indents and buttons covers two walls of the room. Tall glass containers of a glowing yellow liquid line the walls, some cracked and dripping while others are perfectly stable. Within the dim room, everything seems to glow purple and golden giving off a sense of eerie harmony.

“What is this place?” Pidge asks looking around to see which part to mess with first.

“Whatever it is I don’t trust it,” Hunk states shrinking into himself. I have to agree with that, I don’t trust this one bit.

Pidge snorts and gives us a look, “Y’all are lame.” Then proceed to get their gremlin hands all over one of the panels, pressing buttons and typing on a keyboard. Letting out a groan as they can’t get it to work. “Hunk! Help!” They call out in a desperate plea.

Hunk sends a look of ‘why him’ to me before he goes on to help Pidge anyway.

“Why don’t you want me to help?” I tease trying to diffuse some of the tension being built up.

Pidge scoffs immediately, “With the number of brain cells you have I wouldn’t be surprised if you broke it.” Yeah, I knew that was coming.

I smirk knowing that’s just Pidge's way of a playful jab, “Ouch, I’m hurt Pidge.”

Pidge sends me an over the shoulder smirk before returning to trying to breakdown this strange alien tech. I finally take a moment to look around the room, seeing claw-like marks indented into one of the panels and glowing dark purple liquid dripping between the neon lines lining the walls. The constant quiet beeping of the containers starts to send me on edge. Keith has been quiet since we came aboard the ship, I wonder how he’s taking all of this. Probably will be shoving it all in my face later that aliens do exist.

“What do you think Keith?” I turn to send him a sly smirk, but I find him staring at one of the yellow containers. “Keith?” I say in a smaller voice.

Ignoring me, he moves towards them as if he’s in a trance. He stops in front of one that has a top completely cracked off, that yellow liquid pooling on the ground around it as there is only some still left in the container. The liquid slowly creeping towards us, something about it just sends red flags.

Keith kneels in front of the pool his purple eyes narrow. “What do you think this could be?” He asks softly as if he talked any louder everything would disappear.

Crossing my arms over myself feeling uncomfortable every waking moment we’re in this freaky alien lab, “I don’t know but I don’t trust it. So-“ Gasping as I watch Keith reach down and touch it with his hand. The moment his skin makes contact he flinches away and hisses in pain. Rushing over I grab his arm pulling him up and away from the liquid. Keith cradles his hand along with a big scowl at it as if it personally offends him.

I sigh and gently take his hand in mine. A small growl vibrates from the back of his throat. I send him a quick look that shuts him up into a quick pout. We are all used to his weird habits but it what makes him the Keith we all know and love.

“Are you going to let me see it?” I ask softly. Keith relaxes slightly and uncurls his fingers to show light purple burns. I gently run my fingers over the burns which makes Keith flench.  

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.” I lightly rub my thumb over his covered knuckles as a silent apology. 

Keith lowers his head, “I know, I’m sorry.”

“I guess I’ll forgive you,” I whisper giving him a small smile. Keith sighs and smiles back. I look back at his hand, “You still shouldn’t have touched the strange foreign liquid.” 

Keith groans in response but it makes my smile widen only a little bit. Suddenly Keith’s hand feels warmer I see his strange purple burns slowly fade away being covered by a slight discoloration of his skin. I stare at his hand for a moment before I finally look up to see Keith’s shocked expression. 

“That can’t be good,” I mumble to myself. 

Keith squeezes my hand before lightly taking it out of my grasp. He won’t look me in the eyes when he walks away towards Pidge and Hunk. “I’m sure it will be fine,” He says trying to reassure me.

Well, it doesn't! It only fills my chest with dread. I watch Keith as he stands beside Pidge with his head down scanning the panel. My mind spinning a mile a minute with worry and theories of what is going to happen, I don’t even notice I made my way beside Hunk unconsciously leaning on his shoulder for comfort. While Pidge’s screeching pulls me back to the present.

“How! Did you even do that!?” Pidge pleads to Keith.

I look over to the raven-haired boy to see his palm coming off what looks like another handprint scan, his demeanor tense and uncomfortable as he would rather look at the floor than us as a holo screen pops up. 

He shrugs and mumbles, “I just guessed.”

Looking between at Keith and the panel a thought starts to form, one where I try and squash it down because there is no way. Keith can’t know any of this alien stuff, that would be crazy. 

Trying to block it out I listen in to what my friends are saying about this new holo screen.  Pidge is talking animatedly about these alien symbols and what I could all mean, but I can’t help watching Keith’s expression. His eyes scan the hieroglyphs as if he’s reading them going through each row comparatively to Pidge who is staring at it like they can understand the language if they just squint hard enough.

A tap on my shoulder takes me away from my thoughts, Hunk stares at me like I have another head. “You okay Lance?”

I nod, “Yeah buddy.” I look back at the door we came from, the feeling of uneasiness is back, “I just don’t like it here.”

“Really? Oh man, that’s a relief, this place gives me the creeps.”

Suddenly the panel screeches out a beeping noise, I look back to see words flashing along with the screen, almost like a warning.

“What did you do!” I fuss at them. Panic rising in my chest the longer the beeping continues. It’s practically alerting to whatever is around that we are here.

Keith sends me a scowl as he yells back, “I don’t know! It just started doing that”

“Well whatever it is it isn’t good, so we need to get out of here,” I tell the group. 

Pidge is already bolting to the door with Hunk close behind. The door opens for them as they leap into the hallway, but as the door closes I see them freeze with pure shock and horror.

I run to the door as Keith calls out something to me, but my focus is only on the others. Busting through the opening doors my sneakers screeching on the strange metal as I force myself to stop in front of my friends ready to guard them.

There in front of me stands four purple fluffy aliens and three robot sentries. The aliens all over six feet tall with sharp fangs and claws. Two fluffy ears poke along the side of their heads as the lilac fur matted with what looks like blood and dirt, wearing what looks like dark armor with one of those strange glowing symbols that appear all over the ship. What unnerves me the most is the glowing golden eyes, seeming to bore through you as if they look into your very soul.

The one in front is the biggest of them all, wearing more armor than the rest and sporting a strange mechanical arm. Nothing tops the bleeding empty eye socket. The massive purple alien looks at me, my eyes never straying from the dripping blood from the missing left eye. Pointing the robotic arm towards me, calling out to the others in a harsh sounding foreign language. 

Panic takes hold of me. What are they saying? Do they want me for something? Want to hurt my friends?

I hear someone growling behind me; I turn to see Keith snarling towards the alien. Keith bares his teeth showing long sharp fangs, his purple eyes turn into slits and his scleral glows yellow. Two purple curves form on the backside of his neck that loop around across his jaw and stop along his cheeks. He grabs the sleeve of my jacket, his nails growing longer and sharper into claws. 

Keith pushes me behind him as the growl resonating in his chest deepens. He looks at the alien and speaks back to him in the same alien language. My breath hitches in my throat and I can slowly feel my panic start to rise. What the hell!

The one eye alien drops their scowl and looks ecstatic, a wicked smile starting to make its way as they press something on a panel on their arm. 

"Well," A deep voice rings out from the one-eyed alien now suddenly understanding what he's saying, "What a surprise! I wasn't expecting the Galra to make it this far into space, but it looks like we did."

"Who are you," Keith says. He stands protectively in front of all of us.

"I am Commander Sendak of the Galra Empire. In charge of the new wave of expeditions to find new life among the galaxies."

"How noble," Pidge mumbles to themselves.  

"Unfortunately we have crashed on this planet, but fortunate enough to make contact with the native species." Sendax's smile makes me instinctively put an arm in front of Pidge. Sendak turns to one of the other aliens, the Galra, beside them. "Prep any lab we still having standing. We need to send the samples to the Emperor as soon as possible."

"Samples!" Hunk yelps. 

"Of course," Sendak says answering back to us, "We have to know how inhabitable the planet is, what better way of knowing than from the creatures who live on it."

"You plan to experiment on us," I yell back. I am not taking this shit today, I will not be some alien's science project. 

"Yes. The lifeforms here are quite intelligible," Sendak muses. That one eye narrowing at Keith, "Even breedable."

Keith’s growl increases to almost sounding feral as he launches himself towards the Commander.

It’s all happening so fast.

Fear takes ahold of my body as I can only watch as Keith tries to claw at the alien twice his size.  White noise clouds all my senses as my body refuses to act. My breathing starts to become shallow along with the tightening in my chest. 

A realization dawns on me, how are all of us going to make it out of here?

Movement out of the corner of catches my attention, one of the sentries raises its blaster aiming for Keith. The panic returns to take over my fear as I move without thinking about charging at the robot. I latch on to the blaster and with all my strength I force the gun’s aim upward barely missing Keith and the alien. This drawing attention to the other aliens and sentries.

“LANCE! LET GO!” I hear Pidge yell out. 

I turn towards to see Pidge behind the sentry making an opening in the machine while the attention wasn’t on them. They hold up their taser as they hover it above the exposed wires. I let go of the baster as Pidge plunges the electric weapon frying the bot. Using this to my advantage I grab a hold of the blaster as the fried bot crumbles, turning to the nearest sentry making its way towards me I pull the trigger blasting it right through the chest.

The powerful blast surprises me by almost stumbling me back, looking at the blaster in my hands then at the robot as a huge gaping hole torn right through it melting the metal around the wound.

Standing in shock one of the Galra rams themselves into my side colliding me into the metal wall. The side of my head slams against it with the momentum. I fall to the floor as the room starts to spin slightly. The ringing in my ears seems to drown the voices and commotion around me.

“LAN-“

Something isn’t right……

I take a quick scan around the hallway observing the chaos that has broken out. Keith in a blazing fury is losing his fight with the Commander; his lip bleeding, and I can see a black eye forming. He keeps trying to send me a glance, fear slowly showing the more he looks. He opens his mouth to yell something, but I couldn’t hear him. The ringing only seems to get louder when he does. Movement turns my focus towards Hunk trying his best to look after Pidge while the Galra surrounds us.

Pounding and dizziness weigh down my skull. My mind feels like it has been stuffing itself with cotton, trying to dull the pain. The cold metal against my skin feels comforting, but that thought alone unsettles me.

“Lance!”

A voice calls out again trying to overpower the ringing, familiar and comforting but the urgency in the tone makes me come to. Hunk looks down at me; his big brown eyes shine with fear, he opens his mouth and that voice settles deep in my core. 

I hold out my hand and Hunk takes no time to grab it pulling me up and wrapping a protective arm around me. My mind still slightly out of it finally lets the chaos come over me. Pidge has the blaster and trying their best shooting at any sentries that gets within range. Now Keith….

Keith isn’t doing well on his own. Sendak towers over him in height and power; holding their clawed metal hand over Keith’s throat, the air escaping him slowly and painfully.  Keith looks worn down but the fire in him still burns even brighter. 

I have to help him. Unfortunately, the other three unharmed aliens and sentries turn to us to do god knows what. We are never going to make it off this ship if we get taken captured or worse. There is no way in hell I am letting that happen. So far Keith isn’t going to make it and we are outnumbered; from the way it's looking someone has to stay and watch over everything for the others make it out.

Pidge’s taser laying on the ground, must have been knocked out in the fight while I was out of it. My glazing shifting towards the Sendak as he pins down Keith, back to the taser. A plan slowly forming its way through my mind.

I turn to give my friends a look trying to convey my idea. Hunk only taking one look at my expression knowing what exactly going through my mind. He makes a stern expression and opens his mouth to stop me, but I beat him to the point. “You have to go,” I calmly tell them.

Pidge glares at me like I just lost my damn mind. “No!” They screech, “we’re aren’t leaving either of you!”

I try to say more but Pidge beat me to the punch. “I don’t want to hear your self-sacrificing bs, we are sticking together no matter what! You can do what you gotta do but we have your back!” Pidge looks at Hunk to back them up and he nods fiercely. A small smile forms on my lips and Pidge only rolls their eyes when they see it. 

“Okay,” I tell them as I duck out of Hunk’s grasp and rush to the taser.

Blocking everything out: dizziness, the purple hands reaching out towards me, the bright neon lights. The only thing that matters to me is pushing my legs to go faster and my reflexes to grab the taser. I duck from a sentry to slide along the metal ground reaching for it; grabbing the electrical device I watch as the sentry getting shot in the shoulder. Pidge may be an alright shot. 

I continue to run towards Sendak and Keith hearing them say something to each other in the alien language, whatever Sendak says drains the color in Keith’s face.  Something twists in my chest; the feeling of anger, protectiveness and something else I can’t put my finger on pouring out of me. Only hearing a roaring rush through my head.

I notice a strip of fabric around their torso between the armor, I turn on the taser and jab. Sendak screeches as they arch their back. Eyes roll into the back of their head and pass out. “Take that you rejected Furby,” I mumble under my breath.

Keith sluggishly moves away and looks up at me. There is a daze in his eyes and his chest heaving heavily. I don’t waste time and hold out my hand out to him. He takes it but there is something in his gaze I just can’t figure out. He stumbles into me once he’s up on his feet, I hold an arm around him looking over my friend. His shaggy dark hair covers most of his face but those purple markings poke through. His purple and yellow eyes shine in the dark curtain glazing up at me. 

“Lance, we would make a great ….-“ The rest of what he says becomes a mumbling mess as he closes his eyes and he leans his weight onto me as if standing was too much effort.

“Keith?” I whisper as I cradle him closer to me.

A blaster shoots close to my head and I duck trying to protect Keith.

“DUDE COME ON!” I hear Pidge yell.

In a hurry I scoop Keith into a bridal style position, so he is easier to carry. I can feel his claw-like fingers wrap around my neck pulling him closer. I waste no time running through the chaos again, wasn’t as easy as the first time. A Galra tries to tackle me, but I kick them in the chest trying not to fall backward. A strong hand grabs me by the arm, Hunk pulling me away yelling at the top of his lungs. I watch my best friend scoop Pidge up who is hiding behind a fallen sentry trying to ward off the other Galra; yelling at him to put them down, but Hunk ignores them pushes on trying to get all of us away. I couldn’t help but laugh at myself and run along with him.

One of the Galra calls out something but we just keep running until turning the corner to find a way out.

 

* * *

 

The cold dark metal walls start to become a comfort, which concerns me. Hiding away in dark corners and allies, avoiding getting caught and trying to find a way out of this freaky maze of a spaceship. I look down the hallway, keeping a lookout as Pidge scouts ahead. Keith hasn’t been doing well, after that fight with Sendak he has been in and out of consciousness. Mumbling something in that strange language and English. He has a concussion no doubt about it, but the worry look Hunk gives me when he starts to catch symptoms of fever didn’t sit well with me.

 Hunk pokes my back as he gives me a look I know well. One that resonates deep in his soul, determination. “Keith’s fever is getting higher,” Saying as he holds our friend closer to himself trying to protect him from the world.

Keith’s bruises and scratches seem to stand out along his pale skin almost lilac in the neon lighting. His black hair sticking to his face with sweat and his shallow breathing sends my stomach twisting in a knot.

“He’s going to be okay,” I tell him, but it was more for myself. Hunk only hums in response, but the look in his eyes tells me he knew the true meaning in my words.

Keith being the stubborn idiot he seems to pick this moment to wake up as if he knew we were talking about him. The glassy daze in those feline-like eyes doesn’t soothe my nerves. He blinks up at Hunk as if he is trying to figure out why the big guy is cradling him at the moment.

“Have a nice nap,” I whisper trying to hide my concerns. Keith turns to me with wide eyes as if he’s a deer in a headlight.

“Um,” He mumbles but I only give him a small smile in return. My skin crawls with how fake I feel its as if worry is trying to consume my every emotion. I turn away to resume lookout, not having the energy to be the positive motivator at the moment. 

The dark looming hallways act as they are mocking us, laughing in our face as we continue to get lost. Pidge must be losing it at this point trying to find a needle in a haystack. I only hope they are okay. The creeping thought of them being taken by one of the Galra only twists the knot even deeper.

Feeling something cradle through my hair, I try not to flinch at the sudden contact. Looking over to see Keith’s fingers softly touch a spot on my head. He looks so small, his purple and yellow eyes soft and sad.

“You’re bleeding,” Keith whispers to me.

It’s strange to see him with markings and glowing eyes, but knowing it's him sets me at ease. My heart flutters at the action and I give him a small smile, “I’ll be fine.”

I watch the conflict form in his tired eyes and he murmurs, “You still shouldn’t have gotten hurt.” He softly touches my hair again looking at the spot where I hit my head, “I want to keep you safe.”

I try hard not to show the surprise in my expression as my heart tries to beat out of my chest. My gaze shifts towards his neck and sees the bruises forming of clawed fingers. That should be my line idiot. I never wanted anyone to get hurt, especially you.  

“Is it because I cradled you in my arms?” I blurt out instead.

Keith blinks for a moment I swear I catch a flush in the purple lighting, “N-No. I care about you and I know you push yourself to make sure everyone else is fine before yourself. Someone has to look out for you."

We stare at each other, Keith determined to make his point across and I’m speechless. He can see right through me, it almost makes me wonder if I'm too transparent about all my feelings.

“Keith-“ I choke out.

“Hey guys I found a way out,” Pidge comes back interrupting me.

Taking a deep breath trying to collect myself I break away from Keith to follow Pidge. I can feel a pair of eyes glaring me down, I side-eye Hunk seeing a smug look on his face. That jerk is teasing me. Sending him a subtle glare for him to knock it off; he gets the message by trying not to smile but the twinkle in his eyes never fades. I roll my eyes trying to force a blush down, Hunk is the only person I confided in about my feelings for Keith. 

Keith became such a dark horse, my rivalry with the dude who is such a show off that a crush slapped me in the face. The hothead classmate with a bright smile. The mullet head who took the time to tell me how important my friendship was to him. My crush who is a possible alien but who cares.

Pidge leads us to two sliding doors that open up to what looks like a hanger. It looks like a battlefield; some of the ships look burnt and have scratches as if someone or something destroyed the hanger. Death looms in the air as small claw marks rip through the floor and an iron smell lingers in the night air. The moon shining through the gaping hole that takes over the whole side of the ship, the burn marks along the metal wall makes it seem like this was a source of the crash.

Making our way to the hole staring down the side of the ship, seeing a two-story drop. I’m not afraid of heights but looking down at that sure did.

“That’s a way out alright,” Hunk comments. Keith barley lucid hums in agreement.

Pidge rolls their eyes, “Well do you have a better option?”

“No-“ I start to say but the deafening sound of the metal doors opening echo through the hanger stops me. I turn to see Sendak now awake and furious, pointing at us and barks out something to the other Galra in their native tongue.

 “Go, go, go!” I usher my friends out the ship. My eyes never leaving the door as the Galra bust through. The soldiers hold a strange black and purple gun, a glowing purple orb on the top of it, aimed right at us. Pidge gets the memo and goes first sliding down the side of the ship, I tap Hunk’s shoulder for him to go next. I can feel him hesitate, but I watch one of the aliens try and shoot something purple and gooey towards us barely missing.

 “GO!” Yelling out as I push him forward, so he and Keith can get out of here before they can get hit. I hear Hunk yell out my name as he slides down the metal side.

Finally looking down the ship ready to escape, a step to slide down with the rest but something sharp and slimy hits the back of my neck. Gasping from the shock I slip and stumble down the side. The metal digging into my sides as the momentum throws me into a tumble, the world spinning once I collide with the hard ground.

I groan in pain, that was not a fun fall. 

A tiny hand grasps my jacket pulling me up, “Way to be Kluz of the year.” Worry bleeding all through Pidge’s jab. I try to give them a reassuring smile but the shooting pain in my neck makes it turn out more of a wince.

Another hand grasps my arm making me stand, Hunk on the verge of an aneurysm. Keith finally losing his fight with consciousness is resting draped over on Hunk’s shoulder. “We have to GO!!!” Hunk yelling as he tries to drag Pidge and me away from the ship.

The run feels like a blur, running along with the ship until we recognize the cliffside we came from. Trying to climb uphill while the sand drags us down. The pounding heartbeat and pain in the back of head drowning out the strange yelling that sounds like it’s getting closer and closer. I will not look back.

Hope to surge the three of us forward as we finally make it uphill and see Blue. I never thought my old car would save the day, but she did. Hunk places Keith in the back while Pidge climbs in to watch him. My feet stumbling to get into the driver’s seat, the ringing in my ears becomes silent when Hunk slams the passenger side door. We did it, we’re safe. Everything is going to be okay.

The sound of crushing metal sends me reeling, I turn to see a sentry behind the car. I scream and shift my car into reverse, slamming into it. The sentry tries to latch onto the trunk but stumbles, once it's out of sight I shift gear and slam my foot on the gas. Hunk holding onto the dashboard for dear life and Pidge trying to keep Keith steady. The farther I drive away from the crash a sense of relief washes over us but the more I watch the horizon ahead only seeing sand and canyon the more I feel like we're stuck in a trap. 

We are in the middle of nowhere.

Hunk places a hand on my shoulder, “Oh my god guys we did it!”

Pidge lets out a bubbling laugh, “Yeah! Take that alien shitbag!”

As much as I would love to celebrate the pain from the back of my neck seems to throb and pulsate. Feeling as if something is burrowing into my spine and splitting my head in two. My grip on the wheel turns my knuckles white, trying to distract myself from the pain. I have to get everyone to safety, I have to make it until then.

The drive lulls us into silence, everyone taking the time to think about what happened. Keith drifting in and out while leaning on Pidge for support, Hunk mumbling or ranting occasionally to break the silence. Talking about his thoughts and theories on our new planetary guests.

I could only feel the pain. My body starting to tremble as a chill goes through me, my headache feeling as if something is crushing my skull, and my spine as if it is set ablaze. The longer I drive the more I know I wouldn’t make it, my vision creeping into a haze as my mind weighs down on the thought of just letting go. The pain slowly making my body numb.

“Lance?” Pidge’s meek voice creeps through the haze. “Lance are you okay?”

That sends Hunk into a fit, I could feel hands on my shoulder, but the usual warm is nowhere to be found. His voice sounding farther and farther away as the edge of my vision blurs. My mind starting to become a daze, I could faintly hear my name being called over and over. Someone shaking me as if they are trying to wake me up. A small voice yelling something about blood, but it didn’t matter as my body turns completely numb only being able to see the looming horizon.

 “Hunk,” I manage to rasp out, “Take the wheel.”

 

Then everything went black….. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos and Comments are always appreciated!
> 
> You can also talk to me about my fic on my tumblr @ cheshiresredeye !


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